On Sunday, Dunwoody residents can lace up their running shoes for the 21st annual Harris Jacobs Dream Run on the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta’s Zaban Park campus.

The 5K run, which begins at 8 a.m., will start at the center’s campus and follows a certified, family-friendly course through Dunwoody neighborhoods.

Larry Gordon, a 2014 volunteer committee co-chair, said although the run has gone through some changes throughout the years, it still honors the memory of a past president of the center, Harris Jacobs.

“We got the idea for the race when lots of nonprofits around town started to do running races to raise awareness and funds,” Gordon said.

“When we started it, it was an 8K course and it was very successful and we did not have a name for it. After knowing Harris [Jacobs] for many years and seeing how active he was as a member, we decided to name the race after him and it’s been that way ever since.”

New to this year’s event will be a Blonder Special Needs 1-mile walk for youth and adults to raise money and awareness for sports and fitness programs for the special needs community.

Kitty Jacobs, Jacobs’ widow and co-chair of the run, said her husband was a child advocate in the community and the run would continue to help children.

“It was always his dream to be able to make sure that children who wanted to attend a youth sports program would be able to have that experience, regardless of their financial circumstances,” she said. “Proceeds from the Dream Run allow us to do just that, and I know that this year’s addition of the Blonder Special Needs 1-mile walk would make him so very proud of how far we’ve all come.”

Similarly, Gordon said the race benefits everyone involved.

“The MJCCA is open to anyone in the community and we wanted to make sure any kid who wanted to participate in a sports league could do so regardless of income, plus the run is a great way to promote exercise and healthy living,” he said.

“When we get out and get active for a good cause, it’s a win-win situation for everybody.”

Participants may register for the race until Sunday for $30 by visiting www.atlantajcc.org/HJDR, or calling (678) 812-4151. The entry fee will be $35 on the day of the race.

*We welcome your comments on the stories and issues of the day and seek to provide a forum for the community to voice opinions. All comments are subject to moderator approval before being made visible on the website but are not edited. The use of profanity, obscene and vulgar language, hate speech, and racial slurs is strictly prohibited. Advertisements, promotions, spam, and links to outside websites will also be rejected. Please read our terms of service for full guides